Christmas came early for Edinburgh Sick Children’s Hospital as they received an early present in the form of a cheque for £3500 from Local SPAR stores owned and operated by C J Lang and Son Limited. The money was raised from stores in central region and beyond. Stores across the area from SPAR Bathgate to Linlithgow donated the funds to the hospice. CJ Lang and Son Ltd Company Owned Stores Director Jamie Buchanan presented the cheque to Edinburgh Sick Kids Friends Foundation at SPAR Roseburn Terrace, Edinburgh on 3rd December. The monies donated have been raised through the sale of carrier bags in the many SPAR convenience stores owned and operated by SPAR Scotland wholesaler and retailer CJ Lang and Son Limited. The funds generated from the sale of every single use carrier bag in store are donated to charity. The scheme, where bags are sold at 2p has been running since September 2008 and has so far raised a staggering £112,000 for a variety of local Scottish charities including £60,000 for Scottish kids charity CHILDREN 1ST.Jamie Buchanan, Company Owned Stores Director commented:“£112,000 is an enormous amount of money to have raised, we will be sharing this with the many well deserving charities throughout Scotland. Edinburgh Sick Kids Friends Foundation was the charity of choice within the local community and we are delighted to be able to donate money back into the local areas surrounding our stores.”Not only has the Dundee group been raising much needed funds for charity but they have been doing their bit for the environment. The 2p carrier bag scheme highlights the idea of reusing and recycling carrier bags. Indeed, SPAR stores also stock a range of alternatives to single use bags such as Reusable, Black Woven and Jute Bags. The knock on effect of charging for carrier bags is that it encourages customers to recycle or use reusable bags therefore producing less waste. The amount of carrier bags that the company have been using has been reduced by 48.2% since the scheme started in September 2008, a win - win situation all round.The purpose of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation is to provide extra funding in addition to NHS provision in four main areas which will benefit the 100,000 children and their families who come to the Edinburgh Sick Children’s hospital every year.CJ Lang and Son Limited own and operate 91 SPAR stores throughout Scotland and supply delivered wholesale goods to over 300 SPAR convenience stores across Scotland. Stores in Bathgate, Bonnyrigg, Crofthead, Dalkeith, Linlithgow, Roseburn contributed to funds for the Hospital.Photograph attached shows: Myron Caldeira SPAR store employee, representative from Edinburgh Sick Kids Friends Foundation, Company Owned Stores Director Jamie Buchanan